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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24432535">A Journey In Dreams</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlushedRed/pseuds/BlushedRed'>BlushedRed</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ATEEZ (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Character death is ONLY in the ‘dreams’, Gay, M/M, Somewhat inspired by the kdrama ‘mystic pop up bar’, all of them are gay, class system is in place for the dreams, dark themes, hongjoong is an activist, jongho’s past life and yeosang’s past life, san is a gay icon, seonghwa is a mystic, very gay, will get steamy eventually, wooyoung works at a super market, yeosang works at customer service</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:13:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,858</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24432535</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlushedRed/pseuds/BlushedRed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Yeosang has reoccurring dreams featuring a boy he seemed to love. Nothing about the dream changes, until one day he runs into the same boy he witnessed dying.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Choi Jongho/Kang Yeosang, Choi San/Jung Wooyoung, Jeong Yunho/Song Mingi, Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. His dream boy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Yeosang could remember his last words so well.<br/>
“Hyung, I’ll be fine.” Those words were followed by a deep breath,  “Don’t cry, I’ll be fine”<br/>
The boy had muttered those words whilst grovelling on the road, his eyes teary, and his shirt stained with his own blood. All Yeosang could do was watch as the only person he ever loved was brutally murdered in front of him. Yeosang had dropped to his knees after he saw Jongho’s Hand fall limp. All Yeosang could do to release the pain he felt was scream injustice that fell on deaf ears. Yeosang kneeled over jongho and fisted the cloth of his robe. The pain was too much to bear.<br/>
“I’ll avenge you, i swear, I’ll avenge you ok?” Yeosang hiccoughed between words and broke down, falling beside the boy as he felt the cold touch of his body. </i>
</p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p>
  <i>He couldn’t be dead. But he was.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Yeosang wanted to be with him, but all he could do was wish as he walked through the streets of the village. He looked over to merchants and children running on the streets and wondered, how can they be so happy? </i>
</p><p>
  <i>After wondering for some time, looking distant and empty, an old women had asked Yeosang if he felt ok, and Yeosang broke. Everyone’s eyes turned to him as he held his heart and fell to the floor. The women had began to rub his shoulder and gave him cloth to dry his eyes on.<br/>
“The king he-“ Yeosang inhaled “he killed him!” Yeosang whined before yelling “he killed him! He was so young!” The old women didn’t know how to handle the situation as families had began to lead their children elsewhere. “He was nineteen” Yeosang whispered, his nose running. His throat hurt from crying and he wanted nothing more than to die to be with jongho wherever he was.<br/>
“I don’t want to live on, not under the king’s rule, and not without him”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Yeosang had wondered to the top of the hill where the sacred tree resided. There was no god. No one was here to help them. If there was then why did an innocent boy die? Yeosang looked over to the castle. He wanted it to burn. He wanted the king to cough on the smoke until his lungs gave way. He wanted him to suffer the pain that jongho had. Yeosang looked at the ribbons that hung from the tree, so free and colourful. Yeosang despised them. He despised this world. </i>
</p><p><i>Yeosang walked to the edge of the hill and screamed<br/>
“King! I hope you suffer! I hope you experience the worst death! He was nineteen! I loved him!”<br/>
Yeosang couldn’t cry anymore. All he felt was rage.<br/>
“I’ll haunt you all. You won’t rest easy”</i> </p><p>
  <i>Yeosang was found hanging from the tree the next morning.</i>
</p><p>Yeosang woke up in a cold sweat. He had the same dream again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Seonghwa The Mystic</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yeosang informs wooyoung of his dreams. Wooyoung knows someone who might be able to help.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ok yes yes I get it” Yeosang leaned on the counter. “I understand but this item isn’t refundable” everyone around him could hear the muffled yelling from the other end of the customer service phone. “If you have the receipt I might be able to help” Yeosang forced a smile as he tried to deal with the customer. </p><p>Eventually the customer hung up. </p><p>“Another bad one?” His coworker asked with one arm leaning on the counter,<br/>
“Yeah, bought a tv and their son broke it while playing video games”<br/>
“Angry parents are always the worst” wooyoung scoffed, pouting his lips.<br/>
Yeosang thought about what he was going to do for a few moments before giving in.<br/>
“Also, wooyoung i want to ask you something”<br/>
The younger boy stood up and raised his eyebrow,<br/>
“do you like me?” Yeosang spluttered in response,<br/>
“No you idiot, this might be serious” </p><p>They had met up later at the cafeteria in their workplace. Yeosang didn’t know if wooyoung would call him crazy or sympathise with him... in retrospect it was quite stupid. </p><p>“I’ve been having this reoccurring dream” wooyoung hummed along, showing that he was listening. Yeosang continued,<br/>
“It starts with a boy bleeding on the road, saying something like ‘hyung I’ll be fine, don’t cry’... then he dies”<br/>
“Oh wow that’s rough, do you recognise him?”<br/>
“No, but I think i loved him”<br/>
Wooyoung dropped his chopsticks, looking shocked. Yeosang felt the need to clarify, to save himself from being outed,<br/>
“In the dream! Anyway, afterwards I yell about the king and about how the boy was only nineteen, then it cuts to me on a hill with a tree... I think it was sacred?”<br/>
“Did it take place in the Joseon era?” Wooyoung asked,<br/>
“Yeah, i guess it makes sense then” Yeosang answered, but he didn’t know how to tell wooyoung the last part.<br/>
“Then I hang myself from the ribbons on the tree with a pledge to make the king suffer and avenge the boy I loved” wooyoung raised an eyebrow, “IN THE DREAM”<br/>
Wooyoung sat in thought for a moment. Neither of them knew how to continue the conversation.<br/>
“Do you know his name?” Wooyoung asked, biting his lip while thinking.<br/>
“Jong-sup? Jong-dae? I’m not sure, all I know is it started with jong”<br/>
“It seems too complicated and realistic to be a dream” Wooyoung pondered. “I might know someone who can help.<br/>
“You have other friends?” Yeosang asked, before getting smacked by wooyoung.</p><p>Wooyoung had taken Yeosang to a crooked street lined with quirky shops and questionably dressed people. Yeosang was nervous. He had no idea who he was meeting or what they were going to say to him. </p><p>Before Yeosang had time to think further, wooyoung stopped outside of a beautiful dark oak house with lanterns and shrubbery decorating the outside. There were a few stone fairies littered across the garden, and the grass looked incredibly well kept.<br/>
“We’re here” Wooyoung smiled, swinging his arms by his side. Yeosang shuffled beside wooyoung as the younger boy rang on the doorbell.<br/>
“Hyung! I have someone who needs your help!”<br/>
The door opened in an instant, and Yeosang couldn’t help but flush at the sight of the man before him. The man was tall, had black hair, beautiful eyes, a sculpted jaw, a nice body line, big hands and was absolutely ethereal. Where did wooyoung meet him?!<br/>
“Someone needs my help?” The man asked frantically, leading both boys inside the house.</p><p>The house reeked of incense and lavender, but Yeosang could appreciate the aesthetic of the antique furniture and gorgeous displays that filled the room they were sat in.<br/>
“My friend here, Yeosang, has been having a reoccurring dream” wooyoung started, but seonghwa shut him off,<br/>
“Out”<br/>
“Seonghwa! I wouldn’t have come here if it wasn’t suspicious!”<br/>
“What could be so suspicious about a reoccurring dream?” Seonghwa sighed, stirring his tea and crossing one leg over the other,<br/>
“It seems too real to be a dream”<br/>
“How so?” Wooyoung seemed to have peaked the man’s interest.<br/>
“Yeosang do you want to explain?”<br/>
Yeosang felt pressured when put on the spot, but decided to agree anyways.</p><p>After telling the man about his strange dreams, seonghwa left the room to make some tea. Wooyoung and Yeosang looked at each other, not quite liking what the situation implied.<br/>
When seonghwa walked back into the room, he sipped his tea whilst looking over the brim of his teacup at Yeosang. He set the cup down, making a small clank on the glass table.<br/>
“It is strange, yes” seonghwa intertwined his hands and pondered. Wooyoung didn’t know what to do as the atmosphere grew more awkward.<br/>
“I think we might be dealing with past lives”<br/>
Yeosang choked on his own spit and wooyoung’s mouth fell open, much like a fish.<br/>
“Past lives?” Wooyoung asked, not hiding his surprise, seonghwa sighed.<br/>
“We might need to find the boy from your dream to see if there is a spiritual connection”<br/>
This was too much for Yeosang to take in. As his pace paled he looked up to the man,<br/>
“Does that mean I loved him? Like i genuinely loved him once?” </p><p>“Yes”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Archery And New Horizons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jongho has a dream. The same dream he’s had for a while. He just wished he didn’t feel this way for a man he’ll never meet.</p><p>*I decided to change the dream up a little as it seemed too fast paced</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jongho yawned as he looked at his phone screen.</p><p>2:05am</p><p>He was starting his new job in the morning so he decided that he should sleep or else he would regret it. Jongho fluffed his pillows and plugged his phone in the charge before slipping into sleep.</p><p>
  <i> Jongho’s hand travelled up the boy’s arm as he corrected his archery posture. The other boy had never had the best stance, but the aim was there. Jongho’s breath tickled the boy’s neck as jongho purposefully swiped his hand against the boy’s behind. The boy took a sharp inhale and shot the arrow, hitting the target directly in the middle.<br/>
“Yeosang! You did it!” Jongho exclaimed, wrapping his arms around the boy’s waist,<br/>
“I did!” Yeosang grinned, his deep voice sending shivers down Jongho’s spine.</i>
</p><p>
  <i> Their laughter settled down and the two boys couldn’t look away from the other. Jongho’s eyes shifted from looking at the boy’s elegant robe that fit over his thin waist, his long tied up hair and his beautiful pouty lips. He liked the last part a lot.<br/>
“You’re staring” the boy smirked, jongho nodded. Jongho felt a lot of things toward the other, older boy, but he didn’t quite know how to phrase his emotions. Was it friendship? Or something they could be condemned for? Jongho figured in different circumstances he might even call their connection love. That thought scared him.<br/>
“You’re thinking again” Yeosang hummed, tucking a strand of Jongho’s hair neatly behind his ear.<br/>
Now it was Jongho’s turn to take a deep breath. He knew he shouldn’t ask for something like this but in the heat of the moment it seemed right.<br/>
“Can I kiss you?”<br/>
There was silence before an answer, and that silence felt agonising,<br/>
“Of course” </i>
</p><p>
  <i> Jongho’s hand was placed against yeosang’s cheek as the older smiled, he was content and was happy to have jongho in front of him. The boys were similar heights, so there was no need for jongho to lean down. Jongho inched closer until his lips were against Yeosang’s.<br/>
He pulled away as soon as possible, confused with the new sensation.<br/>
“That felt nice” jongho stated, shock in his voice, Yeosang nodded feeling quite giddy himself.<br/>
“Let’s do it again”<br/>
And so jongho put one hand on Yeosang’s hip whilst the other stayed against his face, and he crashed their lips together. The two moved against each-other in the heat of the summer sun. Jongho pulled on yeosang’s lip, earning a deep whine from the older that stirred Jongho’s stomach with a foreign feeling. </i>
</p><p>Jongho woke up with blazing cheeks and more confusion.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Customer service</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jongho starts his new job...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I apologise for the update taking so long, I’ve been struggling with my mental health for several months but I’ve finally got the motivation for this story back!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jongho decided to take the bus to work. It wasn’t his preferred method of transportation but it was the most convenient in this situation. Jongho repeatedly checked the address of his work place just to be sure he didn’t get it wrong and when the bus stopped he hopped off. </p><p>The dream jongho had had last night wasn’t new to him, but it unnerved him every time he had it. Jongho once read online that your brain cannot make up a face, so that meant he had seen the boy in his dreams at least once before. Jongho was also curious about why his brain decided to have the dreams take place in the joseon era. Jongho could distinctly remember failing all his history tests for that era in particular, and now it feels like he’s living in it. However what scared him the most was his very apparent sexuality. Jongho had had issues with his identity in the past, so when these dreams started two weeks ago (the same dream every few nights), jongho’s blatant homosexuality he displayed in his dreams caught him off guard. He had come to terms with it now, but he wasn’t going to tell anyone anytime soon. </p><p>Just as he walked to the door of the supermarket, Jongho felt a buzz in his back pocket. He pulled out his phone and saw a text from his best friend (and only friend) Mingi. </p><p>‘good luck on your first day!’</p><p>Jongho smiled at the text and walked through the doors of his new workplace.</p><p>-</p><p>“Hypothetically, would you want to meet the boy in your dreams?” Wooyoung questioned yeosang as he bit into his apple. Yeosang sighed and pushed the packaging box away,<br/>
“I don’t know” the older boy paused for a second before turning to his friend, “I saw him die woo”<br/>
“I know but obviously he wouldn’t be dead now”<br/>
“I knew this guy personally in a different life! I wouldn’t know how to react if I saw him in person!” Yeosang emphasised before standing up,<br/>
“Besides, just because I dreamed of him doesn’t mean he dreamed of me”<br/>
Wooyoung frowned as Yeosang lay a hand on his shoulder and began to walk out of the packaging room with a box in his hands to display on the shelves. Wooyoung stood still for a few seconds, sighed and then began running after the older man.<br/>
“But there is always a chance!”</p><p>-</p><p>When Jongho had arrived at the building, the manager of the chain store showed him around, starting with the changing rooms and lockers; and finishing with the customer service area.<br/>
“With that, I’ll be off!” The manager was a friendly old man, and left quicker than jongho would’ve liked. He was enthusiastic and seemed like he would get along with everyone. Jongho gave him a nervous smile as he watched him walk away. </p><p>Jongho didn’t know what he had to do now, and as he turned around to go to the food samples section, he felt a sudden impact hit his back. When jongho turned around he saw the top of someone’s head, bowing in apology,<br/>
“I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you” a deep voice spoke out, and jongho couldn’t help but think this person’s voice was somewhat familiar.<br/>
“It’s ok, really!” Jongho laughed while waving his hands. Jongho then leaned down to help the other man pick up the products that had been dropped. When both men reached for the same instant ramen packet, they looked up at eachother.<br/>
“Hyung! Don’t give up on dream boy!” A blond haired man panted, running around the corner. </p><p>‘Dream boy?’</p><p>The man was beautiful. He had shoulder length black hair and doe eyes. His nose was perfectly shaped and his lips were red and kissable. Jongho couldn’t stop staring as the puzzle pieces clicked into place. However, Jongho and the other man’s reaction were incredibly different. As Jongho sat in red faced embarrassment, the other man looked horrified, pale in the face and shaky. The dream jongho had had that morning played in his head as he couldn’t let go of the other man’s hand. </p><p>“You’re alive” yeosang’s voice was shaky as he fell on his behind, the produce on the floor abandoned with the change of emotion.<br/>
“I’m jongho, but please take deep breaths” jongho tried to calm yeosang down, but no matter what he did he couldn’t shake the dream from before. “you’re really pretty” jongho smiled, showing his gums. Yeosang’s eyes welled up in tears and before jongho and the blond bystander knew it, Yeosang collapsed into jongho’s hold.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Explanation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yeosang comes to with wooyoung and jongho near him. He is shocked that his dream has since changed.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chungin - the class between nobles and commoners. Made up of people like astronomers and physicians. Illegitimate children of nobles are also placed here.</p><p>Baekjeong: the untouchables. An insulting name to be called. Made up of basket weavers, butchers and grave diggers etc. The children of those working in these fields could not climb up the social ladder.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i> Both boys had just returned from an archery session in the rain. Their layers of clothing uncomfortably stuck to them as they yearned to change into something more comfortable.<br/>
When they safely arrived in jongho’s small house, Yeosang looked at jongho and couldn’t help but feel he looked prettier with the rosy nose and cheeks from the cold. Yeosang giggled at the thought and pinched jongho’s cheek (much to jongho’s dismay). </i>
</p><p>
  <i> As jongho took off his boots he heard Yeosang sneeze and abruptly turned around to engulf him in his warmth,<br/>
“Jongho, we need to get changed” yeosang blushed as he lightly pushed the younger boy away. Jongho looked at him and smiled before beginning to strip off. Yeosang silently got changed into his subtle nightwear and spared glimpses at the other boy as he got changed. </i>
</p><p>
  <i> Yeosang and Jongho needed to keep these meeting secret. Yes, trust between friends was a principle in their society, but the boys didn’t see themselves as friends rather as something more. There was another layer of complication considering Yeosang was chungin and Jongho happened to be baekjeong as his father was a butcher. Yeosang swallowed his anxiety and sat down on the floor. Jongho soon joined him there and wrapped his arms around yeosang’s back, silently kissing the back of his neck. Yeosang’s hand snaked down and held the hand that was closest to him.<br/>
“Do you think our parents will find out?” Yeosang sighed, turning his head to look at jongho. Jongho ran his fingers through yeosang’s long hair and smiled,<br/>
“They wouldn’t understand it, would they?”<br/>
The boys shared a heartfelt gaze before jongho softly placed his lips against Yeosang’s. The same warmth filled Yeosang every time jongho did even the smallest things, and he loved the feeling. Yeosang could feel jongho smile against his lips as the older kissed back. </i>
</p><p> </p><p>Yeosang regained consciousness as he lay on the wooden bench in the changing room. When wooyoung and jongho noticed this, they rushed to the boy’s side (not that jongho ever left)<br/>
“Where am I?” Yeosang mumbled, only just recovering from the dream he had had. When he looked to his left he jumped back as he saw Jongho staring right back at him.<br/>
“You’re in the changing room, do you feel ok?” Jongho’s voice was gentle, caring and just as soft as he sounded in the dream. Yeosang was surprised that he didn’t dream of the younger dying again, and now felt like he owed him an apology.<br/>
“I feel better now, I’m sorry for fainting like that”<br/>
Jongho nodded in understanding,<br/>
“It was a little strange but I’m glad you feel better” jongho smiled, rubbing yeosang’s back. The older look down as he attempted to hide his flushed cheeks. </p><p>This entire time wooyoung had stood at one of the lockers and eyes the two suspiciously. Surely this new guy couldn’t be the boy Yeosang dreamed about... right? Wooyoung side eyed the pair while he crossed his arms. Yeosang noticed his demeanour and laughed.<br/>
“Wooyoung, it’s ok”<br/>
“Is he the boy you dreamed about?” Wooyoung blurted, his curiosity getting the best of him. The other boys froze at his statement and tried to answer. Jongho was surprised that Yeosang had also dreamed of him, and Yeosang was going to beat Wooyoung black and blue for spilling the secret. After a few minutes of stunned silence, jongho gently smiled,<br/>
“Did you dream of me too?”<br/>
Yeosang turned to him abruptly, his mouth agape in silent surprise.<br/>
“Joseon era? You were high status whilst I was an untouchable?” Jongho continued. Yeosang sat bolt upright as the younger explained some things. Yeosang quickly placed a hand on jongho’s and sniffed,<br/>
“You died in my dream”<br/>
That sentence silenced Jongho as Yeosang took a deep breath and continued,<br/>
“You were 19. The king ordered you to be killed”<br/>
“Hey, maybe we should stop” Wooyoung laughed, desperate to stop yeosang from scaring jongho away, despite this Yeosang continued.<br/>
“I had that dream for months, every few nights” he paused “until now”<br/>
Jongho was in shock. He didn’t realise that he got the long end of the stick with his dream. He had been having a pleasurable dream every night whilst yeosang has watched him die over and over again.<br/>
“I had a different dream” jongho nervously laughed, avoiding eye contact with the curious man.<br/>
“It’s not important I don’t think we should talk about i-“<br/>
Before jongho could finish, Yeosang quickly snapped<br/>
“Tell me”</p><p>After jongho explained his dream due to peer pressure, Wooyoung was laughing like a hyena and the other two boys were red in the face and awkward,<br/>
“That’s so funny! He dreamed of you dying-“ Wooyoung paused to breathe before laughing again, “and you dreamed of him bottoming!” Wooyoung was on the floor by this stage, holding his stomach as he gasped for breath.<br/>
“It’s kind of funny when you think of it that way” jongho admitted, just now gaining the confidence to look at Yeosang. “Do the dreams mean anything?”<br/>
Yeosang sat in silence, before making eye contact with jongho,<br/>
“Meet us after work and we’ll bring you to someone”<br/>
Wooyoung had composed himself and began to explain seonghwa to the intimidated teen.<br/>
“Ah so it’s like past lives then” jongho nodded his head. The other two men were stunned,<br/>
“How did you know?” Wooyoung asked, shock evident in his voice.<br/>
“If you’re bringing me to a mystic about detailed dreams and spiritual readings, it’s natural to assume that this is something more serious” jongho explained, leaving Wooyoung and Yeosang in impressed silence.<br/>
“You’re right” yeosang smiled, “we were in love in the Joseon era”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Domestic lake sides</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Seonghwa’s dreams...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i> “you!” Seonghwa growled, his hair in disarray as he stared down a shorter man who had just gotten on every single one of his nerves. The other man just laughed as he marvelled at the sight of the tall man getting angry. The small man had thrown alcohol over seonghwa’s robe and a good bit of it also got into his hair. “I’m going to kill you” the man continued. Hongjoong smiled and replied in a mocking tone,<br/>
“Try to catch me then” </i>
</p><p>
  <i> What followed was a tiring chase through the village streets, in which hongjoong steadily kept the lead. Seonghwa attempted to grab the younger’s hair as it wasn’t obscured by the hat noblemen wore. Hongjoong laughed as he turned corners and gained speed, seonghwa panted as he sweated in his layers of clothing. When the two finally stopped, it was at a forest clearing with a waterfall and lake.<br/>
“Here we are” Hongjoong smiled, beginning to take off his clothes. Seonghwa was affronted and attempted to stop the man from taking off more garments,<br/>
“Did you purposely lead me here?” Seonghwa asked dumbfounded. His eyes were big and Hongjoong only looked at him and giggled,<br/>
“Yes, we haven’t actually spent any time together” Hongjoong spoke in thought “I figured now was a good time to”. The younger continued stripping while Seonghwa took the accessories out of his hair.<br/>
“You’re lucky I tolerate you” seonghwa seethed through his teeth, Hongjoong had already submerged himself in the water,<br/>
“Oh wow I’m so scared” he replied. </i>
</p><p>
  <i> Seonghwa didn’t hate hongjoong, he never had. It was more of a playful rivalry if anything. In fact Seonghwa’s feelings often confused him; did he hate or like Kim hongjoong? in what way did he like hongjoong? Seonghwa figured he shouldn’t ponder on that question much and instead jumped into the lake. </i>
</p><p>
  <i> “it’s freezing!” Seonghwa exclaimed after being splashed by hongjoong, the latter giggled and smacked the older,<br/>
“I never said it would be warm”<br/>
Seonghwa couldn’t help but smile at the other man, and when hongjoong noticed his staring he himself became quite flustered. This resulted in Hongjoong tackling Seonghwa into the water.  </i>
</p><p>
  <i> The two splashed around until the sun began to set. Both Hongjoong and Seonghwa were drying out on the stone beside the lake, watching the orange sky fade to a dark purple. Seonghwa enjoyed it, in fact he enjoyed it much more than he’d care to admit. Hongjoong look at the older and smiled, his wet hair hung over his shoulders,<br/>
“That was fun” hongjoong gave Seonghwa a cheesy grin, showing off his perfect teeth. Seonghwa nodded in agreement. When Seonghwa felt a small hand being timidly placed over his much larger one, he was endeared. In other circumstances he would shake the other man off, and wipe himself on his robes... but today? Seonghwa didn’t mind, in fact he realised that he never actually did. Once hongjoong was done testing the waters he intertwined his and Seonghwa’s hands, and it left Seonghwa feeling warm inside. </i>
</p><p>
  <i> Maybe he should start thinking about his feelings more...</i>
</p><p>Seonghwa bolted upright. Surely this wasn’t the kind of dream that Yeosang described... right? Who is hongjoong? Is this his past life? Seonghwa felt faint... he must tell wooyoung.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. New beginnings</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jongho meets seonghwa... san is introduced.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Seonghwa had enough problems to deal with and he definitely didn’t need lucid dreams on top of them. In fact he was still trying to figure out yeosang’s dream... but to no avail. </p><p>Seonghwa got out of bed and groggily stalked into the kitchen of his bungalow. He was wearing a massive T-shirt that reached his mid thigh and short shorts beneath it. His long black hair stuck in all different directions as Seonghwa tried to pat it down into shape. He grabbed himself a coffee and settled down at his table. Seonghwa rubbed at his eyes as he tried to will himself awake, but he seemed so tired and he didn’t know why... almost as if he had actually ran the distance from the dream. Seonghwa shook his head of that thought and comfortably sprawled out on the sofa, periodically drinking from his mug. Without a second thought he turned on the TV.</p><p>‘Mr Jeong’s plans for expansion and arranged marriage for son’</p><p>That’s what the headline read, and Seonghwa almost laughed in shock. Arranged marriage? In the 21st century? It seemed unreal; and Seonghwa was sure that the son wasn’t happy either. Nevertheless, Seonghwa yawned, turned off the tv and decided to check the time. </p><p>12pm... 12PM? Seonghwa should be opening his shop! He should be letting in customers! Not sitting on his ass drinking coffee! Seonghwa sprinted to his room and picked the nearest outfit to wear. After doing so he ran equally as fast to the front door and flipped the display sign to ‘open’. Taking deep breaths with his hands on his knees, he began to set up the shop. </p><p>No sooner had Seonghwa sat down at the counter, had he heard a knock at the door. Seonghwa would yell that the store was open, but he didn’t want to be rude. Seonghwa got off his stool and opened the door; upon doing so wooyoung barged straight past him.<br/>
“Wooyoung!” Seonghwa yelled, angrily following the younger into the living room.<br/>
“What do you think you’re doing here? And barging in like that?” Wooyoung tried to stop Seonghwa talking by frantically waving his hands,<br/>
“HYUNG” wooyoung yelled, finally putting a stop to Seonghwa’s babbling,<br/>
“Yeosang met the boy he told you about” </p><p>Everything froze. Then the gears began turning in Seonghwa’s head. Did he have his dream because someone else had found the person in their dream? It didn’t seem realistic, but none of this did. Seonghwa then nodded and sat the party down at the table.<br/>
“I’ll get coffee, you just...” Seonghwa looked at wooyoung distastefully and continued “wait here”.</p><p>Jongho was weary of the foreign building and of the stranger that had greeted them at the front door (if you could call it that). Wooyoung claimed that he could tell them what the dreams meant and where to go from here, although so far in Jongho’s mind... it was all coincidence. Maybe that’s why he was so skeptical of what lay around him. Tarot cards were neatly arranged on shelves along with oracle cards and natural herbs, an array of crystals and foliage lay on the counter tops and a black cat pranced around the room. The cat seemed to take wooyoung by surprise. Jongho found himself periodically gazing at Yeosang; he didn’t seem shocked by the atmosphere, so Jongho made the deduction that he had been here before.</p><p>Seonghwa walked back into the living room and very carefully set the coffee on the table. Yeosang gleefully lifted it up and began sipping from it before withdrawing and seething through his teeth after he bit his tongue. Jongho thought it was cute, Wooyoung thought it was funny.<br/>
“When did you get the cat?” Wooyoung asked after Seonghwa sat down in his chair, Seonghwa smiled and looked at the subject of conversation, smoothing his hand over her soft coat.<br/>
“She’s a stray, I feed her when she shows up and she’s taken a liking to me”<br/>
“A witch and a black cat. Cliche!” Wooyoung smiled and seonghwa almost made a comment about stereotypes, but held it back on front of the new customer.<br/>
“I apologise for my rudeness, what is your name?” Seonghwa asked, the cat leapt off the chair and snuggled around the younger’s legs.<br/>
“I’m jongho, it’s nice to meet you” Seonghwa couldn’t tell if the latter was talking to him, or the cat that had now wrapped itself around jongho’s entire torso.<br/>
“So you’re yeosang’s soulmate?” Seonghwa asked (to the shock of everyone in the room).<br/>
The rest of the party could only laugh uncomfortably,<br/>
“Is that what you call it? Then yes I guess” jongho answered, the cat now abandoned.<br/>
Seonghwa closed his eyes and nodded, almost like he knew exactly what to do next. Jongho hoped he did know, because that’s what they came here for.</p><p>“I’ve actually had a bit of a predicament myself” Seonghwa smiled before getting a particular set of tarot cards. Seonghwa’s statement interested Wooyoung, who had stopped mid bite to ask him more,<br/>
“What do you mean?”<br/>
“I had a similar dream last night” Seonghwa set the cards on the table and lit a stick of incense, the smell gave Jongho a headache. Wooyoung hummed,<br/>
“About jongho and yeosang?” he asked, before seonghwa’s glare shot him down. Seonghwa sighed before giving up on his activity, showing hopelessness with his entire body.<br/>
“The person in my dream... he’s a stranger”<br/>
“Do you know his name?”<br/>
“Hongjoong”</p><p>—————-</p><p>San was outraged. This wasn’t fair! For many years he had worked his way up the chain to get a job in management... and now he was being sent to work in the shop? in the supermarket? the bottom of the food chain? He wasn’t going to accept it. The workplace had been very different recently, that san knew, but the sudden changes in status and payment weren’t something he had anticipated. The news of his demotion came in the form of the head manager’s assistant. San hadn’t been expecting any news that day, so he was intrigued to say the least. When the older man told him that he was expected to work on the shop floor san was disgusted, then the man mentioned that he would get payed the same as he does in management. That just made San confused.<br/>
“But why make me work down there if I’m getting paid the same?” San had pouted, clearly annoyed with the higher-ups decisions.<br/>
“The boss knows all, great rewards await you” the man smiled before walking out of the door.<br/>
San had simply muttered ‘what the fuck’ under his breath as the man left. It wasn’t normal. It would never be normal.</p><p>So here San stood, in the shitty staff canteen, on front of a shitty counter with an underdog telling him what to do. He hated it. Even worse was the fact that he had to wear a tacky orange vest that made him look like a biohazard! It couldn’t get any worse....well that’s what he had thought. No sooner had his ‘adviser’ left when he was surrounded by his new coworkers, mainly women, who wanted to start a relationship. How dull.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Bruises and broken doors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Another dream of seonghwa’s, who is hongjoong?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i> Seonghwa sat in his humble home doing nothing. The day had been uneventful and he wanted nothing more than to sleep peacefully. That plan was quickly ruined by a small man clattering through the front door at an alarming speed. Seonghwa quickly stood up and backed himself against a wall, too scared to look at the intruder. He focused on being as quiet as possible until the man looked at him. In the gleam of the moonlight Seonghwa recognised the familiar face as hongjoong... but more bloodied and bruised. Upon this realisation Seonghwa darted to hongjoong and frantically looked around for a bucket of water; Hongjoong just laughed.<br/>“You really do care about me, don’t you” <br/>Seonghwa continued his search for water, and in a minute had found a rag as well,<br/>“Shut up, this will sting a bit” no sooner had Seonghwa given the warning when salt and water was pushed into hongjoong’s open wound. The pain made hongjoong dig his nails into Seonghwa’s arm and seethe through his clenched teeth. Seonghwa didn’t like to see hongjoong in pain, but he knew that this was the easiest way to ensure that his wound wouldn’t get infected. Hongjoong grunted as he struggled in Seonghwa’s hold.<br/>“stop it... stop it! STOP IT!” Hongjoong yelled, sweet beading on his forehead. Hongjoong would never admit it, but his pain tolerance was comically low. <br/>“I’m sorry, we can’t risk your cut getting infected” Seonghwa’s voice was low and sultry, it had an almost calming effect on the younger. </i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>“Do I get a gift for enduring this?” Hongjoong asked, his bright eyes were hopeful and seonghwa looked at him incredulously,<br/>“No”<br/>“Not even a drink?” Hongjoong tried but seonghwa looked as stoic as ever. Hongjoong’s mischievous mind thought of something, and he wanted nothing more than to see the older’s reaction,<br/>“What about a kiss?” Seonghwa’s hand paused, he had been wiping the beaded sweat off hongjoong’s forehead. With little thought his hand began to move again, this made hongjoong sulk.<br/>“If you fix my door then you can get one” Seonghwa’s voice was barely above a whisper, and anyone else would’ve missed the sentence. Hongjoong bolted upright at his words (much to the despair of every muscle in his body) and smiled,<br/>“Deal!” Hongjoong sprang up and began to leave, Seonghwa was just confused.<br/>“Where are you going?” <br/>“To get wood!”<br/>“For wha-“<br/>“To fix the door!”</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>Seonghwa watched stunned as hongjoong sprinted to get the materials... maybe he should’ve kissed him when he asked the first time. In a feeble attempt to lure him back Seonghwa yelled,<br/>“Your cuts aren’t clean yet!” ... but to no avail. Seonghwa dropped the rag into the bucket and sighed. Did hongjoong like him the way he liked hongjoong? That wouldn’t be right... no one feels the same way about men as Seonghwa does... Hongjoong isn’t like him. This thought made Seonghwa sad, he wasn’t sure what to do with the looming fact of his feelings for the younger, but he wanted to act on them. Hongjoong’s sudden plea seemed like a joke, but it was enough for Seonghwa to let down his defences for a second. He would give hongjoong the reward... but only if it was real.</i>
</p>
<p>Seonghwa woke up. The fact that he had more of a love life in a past reality where he could be killed for who he was, really made him rethink the choices he had made thus far. Did hongjoong exist? If Yeosang met Jongho then... will he meet Hongjoong? What will hongjoong look like modernised? Will he be the same? Seonghwa was falling in love with the man in his dream... and he hadn’t even met him yet.</p>
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